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Kealkil Stone Circle Co. Cork

Submitted by Anthony_Weir on Thursday, 21 October 2021  Page Views: 35474

Neolithic and Bronze AgeSite Name: Kealkil
Country: Ireland (Republic of) County: Co. Cork Type: Stone Circle
Nearest Town: Bantry  Nearest Village: Kealkil
Map Ref: W0538155588
Discovery Map Number: D85
Latitude: 51.745220N  Longitude: 9.370662W
Condition:
5Perfect
4Almost Perfect
3Reasonable but with some damage
2Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site
1Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks
0No data.
-1Completely destroyed
 🔒 Ambience:
5Superb
4Good
3Ordinary
2Not Good
1Awful
0No data.
 🔒 Access:
5Can be driven to, probably with disabled access
4Short walk on a footpath
3Requiring a bit more of a walk
2A long walk
1In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find
0No data.
 3 Accuracy:
5co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates
4co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map
3co-ordinates scaled from a bad map
2co-ordinates of the nearest village
1co-ordinates of the nearest town
0no data
 5
22 photos by 10 photographers
In The Old Stones Book: p.366
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Kealkil
Kealkil submitted by GaelicLaird : The view to the south west looking out to Bantry Bay. The radial stone cairn in the foreground, standing stone pair to the right and five stone circle at the rear. Photo taken September 2021. (Vote or comment on this photo)
This impressive and splendidly-situated monument, overlooking Bantry Bay and Kealkill village comprises a fine 5-stone, 2.44m (8ft) diameter circle of large stones, with 6.4m (21ft) away, two standing stones, the higher of which is now about 4m (13ft) high (originally over 6m 20ft) and the smaller is 2.44 (8ft) high. This is one of the few circle sites to have been excavated, inside the circle was found a setting of crossed timber sleepers which may perhaps have held an upright of stone or wood - possibly a sighting-upright.

Like most alignments, the 2 outliers 1.5m (5ft) apart are on a NE-SW axis, parallel with that of the circle.

2.13 (7ft) away to the S of the outliers is a 7.9m (26ft) diameter cairn of stones incorporating a circle of 18 low uprights (or sockets for uprights) set radially (see also Knockraheen under Scrahanard).

In the past there has been a "Beware of the Bull" sign. This may be a self-referencing sign as there is no evidence of taurean occupation but it would nevertheless seem prudent to get the farmer's permission!

Access: Half a mile SE of Kealkill village and about 180m NE of a sharp steep byroad. The tops of the standing stones are just visible from the road. From the Catholic Church in the village you may be able to see it on the skyline.
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Contributor Bio for Anthony_Weir: Contributing since 2000. Occupation: Author of A Field Guide to Megalithic Ireland - the most comprehensive guide ever published.

Kealkil
Kealkil submitted by KenWilliams : Kealkil Stone Circle near sunset, January 2007. Entry for photo competion Category *A* (7 comments - Vote or comment on this photo)

Kealkil
Kealkil submitted by kenwilliams : The small but very enchanting circle, its not tiny but does seem so beside the massive standing stones. (9 comments - Vote or comment on this photo)

Kealkil
Kealkil submitted by ladrin : Such a lovely day on the Kealkil stone circle. (1 comment - Vote or comment on this photo)

Kealkil
Kealkil submitted by SteveC : KealKill Stone Circle & Cairn, Co Cork (Vote or comment on this photo)

Kealkil
Kealkil submitted by GaelicLaird : The stone pair and radial stone cairn. The larger of the two stones at the south west stands approx 5.5m from the entrance to the five stone circle (not shown in this photo). Photo taken September 2021. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Kealkil
Kealkil submitted by Ebor : Sunset at Kealkil Stone Circle overlooking Bantry Bay.

Kealkil
Kealkil submitted by chaika : September 2015. Watching us outside the frame are several cows and the bull. (3 comments)

Kealkil
Kealkil submitted by Johnny : Pair of stones at the Kealkil Megalithic Complex, Co. Cork (W055 555) Five meters to the NE of the five-stone ring stand these two large standing stones. They are 1.6m apart and, typically, are aligned NNE-SSW. The taller stone, on the SW, is 4.9m tall but has been re-erected and would originally have been about 0.5m taller. The shorter but broader second stone is 2.6m tall.

Kealkil
Kealkil submitted by ladrin : Five stones of Kealkil

Kealkil
Kealkil submitted by Ebor : Kealkil complex panorama - 19 Dec 16 (1 comment)

Kealkil
Kealkil submitted by Ebor : The unique Megalithic complex at Kealkil conisists of a five-stone axial circle, an 18 stone radial stone cairn and a pair of large standing stones with the same axis as the circle. The tallest of which is over four metres in height, originally this broken stone stood at approximately six metres high but was damaged during an excavation of the site.

Kealkil
Kealkil submitted by Aska : View from stone circle side.

Kealkil
Kealkil submitted by enkidu41 : The cairn with the circle's outliers behind. Taken in Autumn 2002.

Kealkil
Kealkil submitted by enkidu41 : View of all 3 elements of this site - circle on the left, outliers ahead and cairn to their right. Taken in Autumn 2002.

Kealkil
Kealkil submitted by Anthony_Weir :

Kealkil
Kealkil submitted by Johnny : Kealkil Stone Circle, Co. Cork (W055 555) Within this fine five-stone ring two mismatched portals, 1.2m high, have been identified with the remaining stones declining in height to the axial stone on the SW which is only 0.76m tall. The ring, therefore, is aligned NE-SW and has an internal measurement along this axis of 2.8m.

Kealkil
Kealkil submitted by Johnny : Kealkil Megalithic Complex, Co. Cork (W055 555) Stunningly situated on the shoulder of Maughanclea Hill, with panoramic views over towards Bantry Bay, a complete five-stone ring is part of a delightfully compact megalithic complex which also includes a fine pair of standing stones and a radial cairn which is nearly 8m in diameter. Eighteen sharp-pointed, radially-set, upright kerb stones form ...

Kealkil
Kealkil submitted by ladrin : Sudden downpour over Kenmare bay..

Kealkil
Kealkil submitted by GaelicLaird : The five stone circle. Initially one might think the large stone with the horizontal edge might be the axial stone however S O Nuallain of the Ordnance Survey Office in his "A Survey of Stone Stone Circles in Cork and Kerry" stated this is not the case. If the axial stone were the largest stone this would mean that not only would the axial stone be the tallest in the circle but also that...

Kealkil
Kealkil submitted by Aska : View from the hill.

Kealkil
Kealkil submitted by Aska : View from standing stones side.

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Re: Kealkil by GaelicLaird on Wednesday, 20 October 2021
(User Info | Send a Message)
This site has a lot to offer and what makes it even more interesting is it's similarity with two other sites in Co Cork.

As stated by others this site in Kealkil consists of a five stone circle, a pair of standing stones and a radial stone cairn, all within a very small area.

The site at Knocknakilla is strikingly similar, also with a five stone circle, stone pair and radial cairn:
https://m.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=1043

And then there's the site at Knockraheen; five stone circle, standing stone pair and radial stone cairn:
https://m.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=1045

To my knowledge these are the only three sites in Cork County that share this association of monuments (but I'll be happy to be proved wrong if anyone knows of any others).

The site at Knockraheen is slightly more spread out but Knocknakilla and Kealkil are very similar indeed with all monuments very closely located to each other.






[ Reply to This ]

Re: Kealkil by Andy B on Monday, 07 May 2018
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Class Standing stone - pair
Townland KEALKILL
SMR No. CO106-006002-
Description On level bog-covered shoulder, on NW-facing slope of W end Maughanaclea Hills. Part of complex including five-stone circle (CO106-00601-) and a radial-stone cairn (CO106-00603-). Excavated in 1938 (Ó Ríordáin 1939, 46-49). Stones, aligned NE-SW, stand 1.6m apart. SW stone is 1.5m L and 0.4m T; it had been broken at ground level and would have stood 5.3m H. Excavator removed stump and erected fallen piece in socket. NE stone is 1.85m L, 0.5m T and 2.65m H. (Ó Nualláin 1988, 246, no. 119) The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 1: West Cork' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1992). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload/revision: 14 January 2009 This monument is subject to a preservation order made under the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2014 (PO no. 69/1938).

Source: NMS Ireland
[ Reply to This ]
    Re: Kealkil by GaelicLaird on Wednesday, 20 October 2021
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    Class: Stone circle - five-stone
    Townland: KEALKILL
    SMR No. CO106-006001-

    Excavated in 1938 (O Ríordáin 1939, 46-49). Circle complete; stones are 0.7m to 1.65m L, 0.25m to 0.45m T and 0.65m to 1.2m H. Internal measurement along main axis, aligned NE-SW, is 2.8m. Excavation showed that stones were not deeply sunk in ground, but were packed at base with small stones. Two shallow trenches intersecting at right angles, filled with dark humified soil, were found within circle, and interpreted as trenches for crossed wooden sleepers which may have held an upright. No finds recovered from circle. Complex also comprises radial stone cairn (CO106-00603-) to E and pair of standing stones (CO106-00602-) to NE. (O Nualláin 1984, 41, no. 81; Roberts 1988, Ch.5, no. 26)



    The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 1: West Cork' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1992).
    [ Reply to This ]
    Re: Kealkil by GaelicLaird on Wednesday, 20 October 2021
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    Class: Cairn - radial-stone cairn
    Townland: KEALKILL
    SMR No. CO106-006003-

    Cairn stands c. 2m SE of standing stones and 5m E of stone circle. Excavation revealed ring of eighteen radially-set stones and sockets (diam. c. 6m), under remains of cairn spread 1m beyond stones. Three large, round closely-set sockets, in trench, aligned NE-SW, were found on NW perimeter of cairn. Lying on surface beneath cairn towards W were two large stones with arc of smaller stones between them. Three fragments of scallop shells found 0.3m below cairn surface. (O Nualláin 1984b, 75, no. 13)

    The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 1: West Cork' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1992).
    [ Reply to This ]

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